Cluster fly

The grass flies or cluster flies or attic flies are the genus Pollenia in the family Polleniidae are completely harmless to human health. They are strictly parasitic on earthworms; the females lay their eggs near earthworm burrows, and the larvae then feed on the worms. Cluster flies seek refuge in cold weather and find their way into attic spaces and similar areas indoors. They often emerge on warm days, and cluster at windows attempting to exit(hence the name).

Cluster fly
Male Pollenia sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Subsection: Calyptratae
Superfamily: Oestroidea
Family: Polleniidae
Genus: Pollenia
Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[1]
Type species
Musca rudis[2]
Fabricius, 1794
Synonyms
  • Nitellia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830[1]
  • Cephysa Robineau-Desvoidy, 1863
  • Orizia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1863
  • Sepimentum Hutton, 1901
  • Huttonophasia Curran, 1927
  • Chaetopollenia Enderlein, 1936
  • Micronitellia Enderlein, 1936
  • Trichopollenia Enderlein, 1936
  • Buresiella Jacentkovský, 1941
  • Bureschiella Jacentkovský, 1941 (Emend.)
  • Chaetopollenia Jacentkovský, 1941 (Unav.)
  • Dasypollenia Jacentkovský, 1941 (Unav.)
  • Polleniella Jacentkovský, 1941 (Unav.)
  • Polleniomyia Jacentkovský, 1941 (Unav.)
  • Pseudopollenia Jacentkovský, 1941
  • Dasypollenia Jacentkovský, 1942 (Unav.)
  • Polleniella Jacentkovsky, 1942
  • Polleniomyia Jacentkovský, 1942
  • Polleniomyma Jacentkovský, 1944
  • Eupollenia Lehrer, 1963
  • Jacentkovskyiomyia Lehrer, 1963
  • Mariomyia Lehrer, 1963
  • Parapollenia Lehrer, 1963
  • Rohdendorfiomyia Lehrer, 1963
  • Sachtlebeniola Lehrer, 1963 (Unav.)
  • Seguyiomyia Lehrer, 1963
  • Zumptiomyia Lehrer, 1963
  • Dasypollenia Lehrer, 1967[3]

The typical grass fly Pollenia rudis is about 7 mm long and can be recognised by distinct lines or stripes behind the head, short golden-coloured hairs on the thorax, and irregular light and dark gray areas on the abdomen. Cluster flies are typically slow-moving.

Cluster flies have a widespread distribution. Eight species are found in Britain and 31 in Europe. Pollenia species are also numerous in Australia and New Zealand (over 30 species); they are common in North America. P. rudis has spread widely in association with humans.

Species
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

References
  1. Robineau-Desvoidy, André Jean Baptiste (1830). "Essai sur les myodaires". Mémoires presentés a L'Institut des Sciences, Lettres et Arts, par divers savants èt lus dans ses assemblées : Sciences, Mathématiques et Physique. 2 (2): 1–813. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  2. Sabrosky, Curtis W. (1999). "Family-Group Names in Diptera An annotated catalog" (PDF). MYIA, The International Journal of the North American Dipterists' Society. Leidan: Backhuys Publishers. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  3. Gisondi S, Rognes K, Badano D, Pape T, Cerretti P (2020) The world Polleniidae (Diptera, Oestroidea): key to genera and checklist of species. ZooKeys 971: 105–155. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.971.51283
  4. Meigen, J.W. (1826). Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäische n zweiflugeligen Insekten. Hamm: Vierter Theil. Schulz-Wundermann. pp. xii + 412 pp., pls. 42-54.
  5. Rognes, Dr Knut; Pape, Dr Thomas (19 April 2007). "Taxon details: Calliphoridae". Fauna Europaea version 1.1. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
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